The fact that only Balin's tomb was shown in the LOTR films is, for me, one of the greatest hints for the need for some 'bridging work' to be done in these new films. If the story of the Hobbit is stuck to rigidly, we see a major character from the first two films ending happily then suddely turning up dead in the third film, in a different location hundreds of miles away with no explanation. I don't think Jackson et al will do that.

Some 'filling in' of the time period between the end of the Hobbit and FOTR is inevitable, I feel. I'm fairly certain that's where the Drogo stuff fits, and would not be surprised to see other stuff there as well as the Balin stuff. Mawr yw ein braint i berthyn i'r gwm Llynfi